Self-opening gate



Oct. 26, 1965 J. HoRN, JR 3,213,555

SELF-OPENING GATE Filed July 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 26, 1965 J- L- HORN, JR

SELF-OPENING GATE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1962 R. m, w m mm y H L e QW W ml oct. 25, 1965 J HORN, JR 3,213,555

SELF-OPENING GATE Filed July 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig 8 00 Jesse L. Harn Jn l N VEN TOR.

Attorneys United States Patent O 3,213,555 SELF-GPENING GATE .lesse L. Horn, In, 401 Freeman Road, Central Point, Greg. Filed .Iuly 5, 1962, Ser. No. 207,761 Claims. (Cl. 39-24) The present invention relates to an improved gate construction characterized by at least one, but preferably a pair, of liftable and lowerable collapsible gates which are normally in a down or closed position but are capable of being collapsed and elevated to assume open positions, said gates being in alignment with each other and mounted on opposed cooperating gate posts.

Broadly the concept has to do with a fixed vertical gate mounting .and support post, a vertically openable and closable gate embodying upper and lower coplanar rails having corresponding gate-supporting ends hingedly joined to a cooperating vertical side of said post, horizontal weight-responsive gate actuating means adapted to be operated by a user at the time he desires to open the gate, said means being positioned for use just above ground level, spring means connected to said post and actuating means, respectively, and functioning to maintain said actuating means in a normally elevated readyto-descend position, and a mechanical operating connection between said actuating means and said gate causing the gate to (1) open when weight is applied to the actuating means and (2) to automatically drop and close when the weight is removed,

More particularly the invention pertains to a vertical stationary gate mounting and support post, a collapsible vertically openable and lowerable gate, said gate embodying upper and lower coplanar rails which are normally horizontal and at right angles to the vertical axis of said post, inner corresponding ends of said rails being hingedly joined to upper and lower portions of said post, gate pickets spanning the space between the upper and lower rails and having upper and lower end portions pivotally connected to said rails, a lever having one end superimposed upon and operatively joined to an end portion of the lower rail and the other end projecting relative to said post, a trip link having an upper end hingedly connected to the last-named end of said lever, weight responsive gate opening and closing means cooperable with a lower portion of said post, said means embodying a horizontal step disposed in a position elevated slightly above the plane of the supporting ground for the post, an adjustable operating and linking connection between said step and lever, and a return spring connected at a lower end to said step and at an upper end to said post. The connecting link has the shape of the crank with a lateral upper end connected with the adjacent cooperating end of the lever. The step has an apertured adapter cleat fixed thereon and the lower end of the link extends through the aperture slidingly and below the plane of the cleat and is provided with a coil spring which is held in place and is capable of being tensioned by a retaining nut.

Two embodiments of the invention are herein disclosed and, generally speaking, are characterized by the generic improvements above described. More in particular, one embodiment, the simpler of the two, is characterized by a pair of gate posts With folding gates therebetween spanning the space between the posts and hingedly mounted and wherein the actuating means beneath the gates comprises a horizontally elongated step having lengthwise edge portions projecting to the left and right of the paired posts, said step being elevated above the ground and when depressed from either side of the gate moving down a limited distance and serving to simultaneously operate the ice links which in turn operate the levers to lift and open the gates.

The other form of the invention is constructed and performs similarly and is distinguishable in that it has a boardwalk the outermost end of which is pivotally mounted and the inner end adjacent the gate is connected with the gates in such a way that a person walking along the boardwalk toward the gates gradually brings the gate I lifting links into play whereupon the gates open up, permit the user to pass between the gates and upon leaving the platform type terminal end member of the boardwalk said gates gravitate to their normal closing relationship.

Both embodiments of the invention are novel in that the actuating means which is adjacent the posts and which is linked to the levers which control the gates is joined by equalizing devices which function to make sure that the lifting forces necessary to open up the gates are uniformly applied.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective on a relatively small scale showing that form of the invention which is characterized by the depressible or weight-responsive boardwalk to the left of the gate means;

FIGURE 2 is a central longitudinal view with parts in section and parts in elevation and on a larger scale and which is taken approximately on the plane of the line 2 2 of FIGURE l looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a view in elevation which may be conveniently referred to as a front view, that is, a view observing the structure of FIGURE 1 in a direction from left to right and with portions broken away to expose component parts which would not otherwise be clearly visible;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan of the righthand end portion of the gate structure of FIGURE 1 with the gates omitted and with parts appearing in section, the section being taken approximately on the plane of the horizontal line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts in section and elevation taken on the plane of the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view at right angles also fragmentarily shown and taken on the section line 6 6 of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 7 is a View in section and elevation and also fragmentarily shown and which is to be relied upon to assist in describing certain of the component parts of the stress and strain equalizing means;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention wherein instead of using the boardwalk and step arrangement of FIGURE 1 a simpler actuating step arrangement is employed;

FIGURE 9 is a section on the plane of the line 9 9 of FIGURE 8 FIGURE l0 is a horizontal :section at one end side of the gate means the section being taken approximately on the plane of the line 1;@ 10 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a section with parts in elevation taken on the line Il lll of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the link and lever means which is used to impart the lifting impetus to the associated hinged gate; and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing the links of the toggle devices at the respective transverse ends of the spring returned load depressed step. t

Reference will be made first to the embodiment of the invention set forth in FIGS. 1 to 7, inclusive.

With reference to the perspective illustration in FIG- URE 1 and then more particularly to the larger views it will be seen that although the invention may use a single folding or collapsible gate it is preferably embodied in a construction wherein two companion gates 14 and 15 are utilized. Each gate is foldable or collapsible and comprises an upper normally horizontal rail 16, a similar horizontal lower rail 17 and vertical pickets 18 these pickets having upper ends crossing and pivotally connected at 19 to the upper rail 16 and lower end portions normally crossing and at right angles to and pivoted on the lower rail 17 as at 20. The corresponding supported ends of the rails 16 and 17 are hingedly mounted by butt hinges 22 which are supported on inner opposed vertical surfaces of the spaced-apart gate posts one to the left as at 24 for the gate 14 and the other 26 to the right for the companion gate 15. Each post is provided on diametrically opposite vertical sides with panels or boards 28 which are vertically disposed in space parallelism and suitably nailed or otherwise secured in place with corresponding inner end portions projecting beyond the hinged ends 22 of the gates 14 and 15. The projecting portions cooperate with the intervening posts in defining channels which when the gates are folded or collapsed (as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3) substantiially enclose or sheathe the folded and retracted gates whereby to assist one in passing freely through the space between the gate posts. Digressing for the moment it will be noticed in FIGURE that the numeral 30 designates an L-bracket attached to the lefthand panel 28 and the horizontal arm of which is provided with a bumper or cushioning spring 32 which comes into play when the descending gate moves downwardly from its collapsed or folded state to its full line normal closing state as illustrated in FIGS. l and 3.

The means which serve to impart an impetus and gate opening lifting force to each hinged gate is shown in FIG. 6 wherein it will be observed that a substantially straight lifting and lowering lever 34 has an end portion superimposed upon the cooperating end portion of the lower gate rail 17 with the terminal loosely pivoted thereon by a pin and slot connection generally denoted as at 36. The median portion of the lever is in turn pivotally mounted at 38 on the gate post to the left (FIG. 6) of the cutout or recess 40. An inverted L-shaped motiontransmitting link 42 has its upper laterally directed end pivotally connected at 44 to the cooperating end of the gate operating lever 34. The lower screw-threaded end of the link is provided with an assembling and adjusting nut 46 for a coil spring 48, said spring encircling the nutequipped end of the link. This lower end portion operates through an aperture provided therefor in an actuating plate or cleat 50 which is attached as at 52 to weight responsive actuating means. This means in FIGS. l to 7, inclusive, comprises an elongated boardwalk which is denoted generally by the numeral 54. In the other iigures (FIGS. 9-13) the actuating means is simpler and comprises a horizontal elongated platform which constitutes a step and which is denoted generally by the numeral 54A in a manner to be described.

The boardwalk comprises inner rails 56 pivoted or hinged at 58 between outer stationary rails 60, said horizontally disposed rails 56 being provided with slats 62 referred to broadly as step means. More particularly the step means is at the righthand end of the boardwalk and comprises a relatively Wide plank or board which constitutes a step 64 and which has one edge portion 66 operating between the gate posts and the other edge portion at the right in FIG. 2, as at 68, operating to the right of the gate posts. The transverse ends of this step 64 are suitably cut out to clear and have proper cooperation with the lower end portions of the posts. It will be noted in FIG. 2, for example, that the endmost crossboard or slat 70 is provided at opposite ends with screw eyes 72 to which lower ends of return springs, the coil springs 74, are connected. The upper ends of the springs are connected by eye screws 76 to the respectively adjacent gate panels 28. The purpose of these springs is to normally lift the movable portion of the depressible boardwalk which is adjacent to the lower end portions of the posts. Accordingly, these springs 74 normally elevate the terminal righthand portion of the boardwalk. When, however, a person walks from left to right along the boardwalk and toward the gates the depressible end portion of the boardwalk gradually swings or pivots down and tensions the springs 74. The aforementioned cleats 50 are connected to the ends of this slat 70 and in turn are connected to the links 42 with the result that as the links pull down on the pivoted end portions of the levers 34, the levers in turn lift the folding gates which pivot up on their respective hinges 22 and thus move up and toward the respective gate posts from a full line closed position (FIG. 3) to a phantom open position shown in the same illustration.

In order that the Weight of the person approaching the gate will be equalized and rendered uniform equalizing devices are employed. For example, and with reference to FIGURE 7 in particular the aforementioned step 64 is mounted on the notched end portions 78 of the rails 56 and therebeneath is a xedly anchored horizontally disposed base member 80 provided at end portions with screw eyes 82 to accommodate the end portions of an equalizing and tie rod S4 which constitutes a rocker shaft and has rocker arms S6 at the ends with hinges affording a connection with the platform or step. More particularly hinges 88 and 90 are provided with the leaves 92 and 94 connected thereto and with the leaves 96 connected to each other.

It will be evident that normally the lifting springs 74 at the left and right of the depressible end portion of the boardwalk serve to elevate the boardwalk as well as the step or platform 64. When a person walks along the boardwalk from left to right in FIG. 1 for example, as the gates are approached the boardwalk is depressed and, in so doing, the cleats 50 travel down, exert pressure on the coil springs 48 and the links 42 are pulled down thus pivoting the levers 34 on the pivot points 3S and imposing a lifting force on the lower gate rails 17. Consequently the rails are tilted up causing the gates to fold on the horizontal axes of the upper and lower hinges 22. When the gates have been passed by the person passing through the space therebetween and upon leaving the platform or step 64, they automatically return to their normal closed positions. The rocker shaft 84, rocker arms 86 and hinge connections between the same and platform assure the desired equalization of forces and ensures a smooth opening and closing operation of the gates.

With reference now to the form of the invention seen in FIGS. 8 to 13 one gatepost is denoted at 100 and the other one at 102 and the gates therebetween are denoted at 104 and 106 and are of the same construction as those already described. Therefore, the rails 108 are hingedly mounted at 110 on the opposed inner vertical surfaces of the posts and 102. In this embodiment the post panels are denoted at 112 and protectively sheathe the hinged ends of the liftable and lowerable gates. In this form of the invention coil springs 114 (FIG. 9) are attached at lower ends to the respective end portions of the horizontal platform or weight responsive step 54A. The median portions of the respective transverse ends of the step are notched and the notched ends straddle the respective lower end portions of the posts therein. The extreme lower end portions 116 of the posts are embedded in the ground or other foundation. One lengthwise edge portion of the step is denoted at 118 and the other one at 120. The foundation member (FIG. 9) is centrally arranged beneath the depressible step and between the posts and is denoted at 122. It will be noted in FIGS. and ll that spaced parallel angle brackets 124 are suitably fixed atop the foundation member 122 and the nut-equipped screw-threaded end portion of the stabilizing rod 126 in anchored between the brackets. On the underneath side of the edge portion 120 (FIG. 9) an L-shaped bracket 128 serves as a pivot point for a toggle link 130, the other end of the link being pivoted and rockable on the support rod 126 as shown in FIG. 13. The opposed toggle link 132 has its outer end (to the left in FIG. 9) bracketed and linked as indicated at 134 to the edge portion 118 of the step. The righthand end portion in FIG. 13 is pivotally mounted on a bolt 136 supported between the brackets 124 and provided with spacing sleeves 138. The adjacent end portions of the respective toggle links are pivotally linked together as generally denoted at 14@ in FIG. 13. By interposing the toggle links 130 and 132 between the end portions of the step or platform 54A and the underlying foundation member 122 the respective end portions of the platform are constrained to stay level and to move up and down in a common plane in order to avoid binding and to ensure operation of the gates whether the step is approached at its central portion midway between the gates or at or toward either gatepost. In many instances the person seeking to open the gate might not be at the direct center and unless equalization means Were provided to ensure self-levelling travel of the step or platform it can be seen that the operation of the gates might not be smooth and certain.

The means for transmitting motion from the step or platform to the lower hinged rails of the gates is approximately the same as already described. For example and with reference to FIG. 12 one operating lever is denoted at 142 the same being fixed at 144 to the lower gate rail and disposed at the desired upwardly canted oblique angle, the end portion 146 being connected pivotally to the upper laterally directed end 148 of the crank-like motion transmitting link 150. The lower end portion of the link passes through the step 54A and through a metal cleat 152 which is riveted on the step the lower end being provided with a retaining and adjusting nut 154 for the coil spring 156 which encircles the lower end of the link 150 and is interposed between the nut and the cleat 152.

In operation it will be seen that normally the gates 104 and 106 are down or closed. When, however, the gate structure is approached from either the left or right in the drawings (see FIG. 8, for example) the platform or step 54A becomes the actuating means for lifting the gates. When weight is imposed on either edge portion 118 or 120 the platform goes down and is caused to travel in a levell manner because of the underlying toggle-type linkage and equalizing means (FIG. 9). As the platform descends the links 150 are drawn down and, in turn, operate the levers 142 which obviously come into play and hinge and simultaneously swing the gates from a closed to an open position.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the speciiication in conjunction with the views of the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction and arrangement of parts, the mode of operation and the attending features and advantages. Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a gate construction, at least one vertical stationary gate mounting and support post, a collapsible vertically openable and closable gate embodying upper and lower coplanar rails normally horizontal and disposed at right angles to the vertical axis of said post, corresponding inner ends of said rails abutting and being hingedly joined by complemental butt hinges to upper and lower portions of a vertical face of said post, gate pickets having upper and lower end portions pivotally connected to said rails, a gate lifting and collapsing lever having one end portion oriented with, superimposed upon, and operatively connected to a coordinating hinged portion of the lower rail and its other end projecting toward and opposed to a side of said post at right angles to said vertical face of said post, a depending trip link for said lever having a laterally bent upper end hingedly connected to said lever, weight responsive gate opening and closing means cooperable with the lower portion of said post, said means embodying a horizontal step having at least one longitudinal edge portion projecting outwardly beyond said post and also said gate, a step return spring connected at a lower end to said step and anchored at an upper end on said post, an apertured cleat fixed on said step, the lower end of said link extending through the aperture in said cleat and slidingly below the plane of the cleat, a coil spring encircling the lower end of said link and abutting the cleat, a spring tension adjusting nut threaded on the lower end of said link, said post being provided at its approach and exit sides, respectively, with vertical spaced parallel panels projecting beyond said vertical gate-attached face of said post and cooperating therewith in deiining a channel, the hinged ends of said gate rails, said lever, and said trip link being protectively confined and virtually concealed in said channel, and the lower ends of said panels terminating in a plane above the plane of and providing limit stops for said step.

2. In a gate construction of the class described, a pair of opposed stationary vertical gate mounting and supporting posts, step means interposed between lower portions of the respective posts, said means embodying a horizontal weight responsive step, a pair of vertically disposed coil springs connected at lower ends with adjacent end portions of the step and anchored at upper ends on their respectively coacting posts, said springs serving to normally maintain the step in a predetermined elevated position above the underlying surface of the ground, gates embodying upper and lower rails having corresponding end portions hingedly mounted on and normally abutting cooperating vertical surfaces of the respective posts, said rails being provided with pivotally connected pickets and said gates being foldable and simultaneously lowerable and liftable in a common vertical plane, the lower rail of each gate being provided with a iixedly attached lever, one end portion of said lever projecting beyond said lower rail and being swingable in a vertical plane, a crankshaped link having its upper crank end pivotally connected to a cooperating end of the lever and having a lower end adjustably and yieldingly connected to the cooperating end of said step, a horizontal rigidifying lrod underlying said step, foundation means beneath said 'Step and supporting said rod, and means affording an operating connection between said rod and an underneath side of the step whereby when the weight of the occupant -of the step is imposed on said step at either transverse end thereof, the step is caused to descend in a level plane, said means constituting a step motion equalizing and stress and strain distributing device.

3. In a gate construction of the class described, a pair of relatively stationary opposed gateposts, each post provided on front and rear vertical sides with cooperating panels, corresponding vertical edge portions of the respective panels projecting beyond the adjacent cooperating gate-side surfaces of the posts and defining and providing channel-like portions, a folding gate for each post, said gate having upper and lower rails with inner ends hinged on said gate-side surfaces, the hinged ends being confined and substantially hidden in the channel-shaped portions, a horizontal step between respective lower porti-ons of said posts, said step being adapted to descend a limited extent when weight is imposed thereon, levers fixed to the hinged lower rails of the respective gates and projecting toward adjacent cooperating posts, said step being provided with a cleat at each end, a vertical link extending slidingly up through an aperture in the cleat and also the step and adjustably oriented and cooperable therewith and having a lower spring-cushioned end and having a lateral crank-like upper end hingedly joined to an end portion of the lever with which it is associatively cooperable, a foundation member mounted horizontally atop the ground in a position directly beneath the central portion of said step and situated between lower end portions of the respective posts, paired toggle links underlying the step and disposed at right angles thereto and also to said foundation member and having outwardly disposed upper ends thereof pivotally connected t-o an underneath surface of said step and having their inner lower ends hingedly connected to hinging and anchoring means provided therefor atop and bracketed to said foundation member.

4. In a gate construction of the class described; at least one fixed vertical gate mounting post, an upstanding vertically openable and closable folding gate embodying spaced parallel upper and lower coplanar companion rails having corresponding gate-supporting ends normally abutting and joined by upwardly folding butt hinges to a contiguous vertical side of said post, horizontal weight responsive gate actuating means adapted to be operated by a user at the time he approaches and desires to open the gate, said means being positioned for use in a hori zontal plane just above and parallel to ground level, spring means connected to said post and actuating means respectively and functioning to maintain the actuating means in a normally elevated but ready-todescend position, an operating connecti-on between the actuating means and said gate, said means permitting the gate to open when weight is applied thereto and to automatically drop and close when the weight is removed, said actuating means embodying an elongated horizontal step which is adjacent the post and gate and when stepped on by the user of the gate descends toward the gr-ound, and which when the user steps ofi again is automatically returned by said spring means to its normal elevated position, said operating connection comprising a lever operatively connected with the lower gate rail, and a trip link pivotally connected at an upper end with said lever, said link having a lower end operatively connected with said actuating means, said actuating means being provided with a fixed rigid cleat, the cooperating lower end portion of said link being passed slidingly through an opening provided therefor in said cleat, said lower end having a nut adjustably mounted thereon and said lower end portion also being encircled by a coil spring, said coil spring bearing at a lower end against the nut and at its upper end against the cleat.

5. In a gate construction of the class described, a pair of vertical stationary opposed gate posts, each post being provided on approach and exit vertical sides with spaced parallel cooperating panels, corresponding vertical edge portions of the -respective panels projecting beyond the intervening gate surfaces of the posts and cooperating therewith and providing gate mounting Vchannel-like portions on said posts, a folding gate foreach post, each gate having upper and lower rails with inner ends abutting and upwardly hinged on said gate mounting surface, the hinged ends being confined and substantially hidden in said channel-like portions, a horizontal platform interposed between lower end portions of the respective posts and having notched ends straddling and slidingly cooperable with the respective posts, said platform having its respective lengthwise marginal edge porti-ons projecting for* wardly and rearwardly beyond the respective post surfaces and serving as a self-levelling step, paired oppositely disposed brackets fixed to the respective end portions of the underneath side of said platform, paired downwardly converging cooperating toggle links having upper ends pivotally joined t-o their respective brackets, a foundation member fixed between lower end portions of the respective posts directly beneath the central portion of said platform, and means on the adjacent downwardly converging ends of the toggle links pivotally connecting said ends to respective end portions of said foundation member, said step being adapted to descend a limited distance and moving toward the underlying foundation when a predetermined amount of weight is imposed thereon, levers fixed to the hinged lower rails of the respective gates and projecting toward their respectively cooperating posts, said step being provided with a cleat at each end, a vertically positioned link extending slidingly up through the cleat and step and adjustably connected thereto at its lower end and having an upper end hingedly joined to a cooperating end portion of the coacting lever.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 567,222 9/96 Cottle 39-43 63 6,011 10/99 Stoutenborough 39-43 1,521,357 12/24 Cooper 268-42 2,083,855 6/37 McReynolds 39--18 2,529,386 ll/ Guth et al 39-43 2,713,737 7/55 Hawkins 39-43 2,807,107 9/57 Goulet 39-18 3,089,267 5/63 Wooden 39-5 5 HARRiSON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Examiner. 

1. IN A GATE CONSTRUCTION, AT LEAST ONE VERTICAL STATIONARY GATE MOUNTING AND SUPPORT POST, A COLLAPSIBLE VERTICALLY OPENABLE AND CLOSABLE GATE EMBODYING UPPER AND LOWER COPLANAR RAILS NORMALLY HORIZINTAL AND DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID POST, CORRESPONDING INNER ENDS OF SAID RAILS ABUTTING AND BEING HINGEDLY JOINED BY COMPLEMENTAL BUTT HINGES TO UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS OF A VERTICAL FACE OF SAID POST, GATE PICKETS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER END PORTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID RAILS, A GATE LIFTING AND COLLAPSING LEVER HAVING ONE END PORTION ORIENTED WITH, SUPERIMPOSED UPON, AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO A COORDINATING HINGED PORTION OF THE LOWER RAIL AND ITS OTHER END PROJECTING TOWARD AND OPPOSED TO A SIDE OF SAID POST AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID VERTICAL FACE OF SAID POST, A DEPENDING TRIP LINK FOR SAID LEVER HAVING A LATERALLY BENT UPPER END HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID LEVER, WEIGHT RESPONSIVE GATE OPENING AND CLOSING MEANS COOPERABLE WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID POST, SAID MEANS EMBODYING A HORIZONTAL STEP HAVING AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID POST AND ALSO SAID GATE, A STEP RETURN SPRING CONNECTED AT A LOWER END TO SID STEP AND ANCHORED AT AN UPPER END ON SAID POST, AN APERTURED CLEAT FIXED ON SAID STEP, THE LOWER END OF SAID LINK EXTENDING THROUGH THE APERTURE IN SAID CLEAT AND SLIDINGLY BELOW THE PLANE OF THE CLEAT, A COIL SPORING ENCIRCLING THE LOWER END OF SAID LINK AND ABUTTING THE CLEAT, A SPRING TENSION ADJUSTING NUT THREADED ON THE LOWER END OF SAID LINK, SAID POST BEING PROVIDED AT ITS APPROACH AND EXIT SIDES, RESPECTIVELY, WITH VERTICAL SPACED PARALLEL PANELS PROJECTING BEYOND SAID VERTICAL GATE-ATTACHED FACE OF SAID POST AND COOPERATING THEREWITH IN DEFINING A CHANNEL, THE HINGED ENDS OF SAID GATE RAILS, SAID LEVER, AND SAID TRIP LINK BEING PROTECEIVELY CONFINED AND VIRTUALLY CONCEALED IN SAID CHANNEL, AND THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID PANELS TERMINATING IN A PLANE ABOVE THE PLANE OF SAID PROVIDING LIMIT STOPS FOR SAID STEP. 